#1 MFM
#2 Ali Goulet
#3 J2
#4 Bobby Meeks
#5 Forgash

great lists all are great memories, but I feel a couple were forgotten who still kill it, Farmer and Perata (I rode with both in AK 2 years ago and Farmer still scared the shit out of me just watching him). Noah Salsnek, Dave H., Rocket, TEX, Burt, Andy Hetzel, well these guys I feel killed big lines making them look easy. Great post once agains brings back some of my favorite memories. Mike you also killed it you had one of the earliest Barfoot Pro Models I can remember.

Tarquin Robbins - history lesson from 94 for all you young yo-boys . . . mad steez from back in the day . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOuppy8LxMQ

Jeremy "jibber" Jones. That kid has been staying fresh with the times for almost two decades now. I am backing him fo sho.

I'll make yah famous...

skin tight issue#2 Adam Brown all time bro never a pro. smokalotta weed and tucked in the trees.

David Vincent - Dont know if any of you guys know this frenchie, but over this side of the pond he was our equivalent of Mr Lynn, mad tweaked out steeze, could ride the pipe like Hakon and the backsountry like Burt and jib like old school guch , could have dominated worldwide but preferd to stay at home in St Foy and consume crazy mushrooms. He had a legendary series of pro models , with graphics inspired by his psycadellic mushroom hits with Regis Rollands A Boards

Any list has to include those guys--both grew up in Bennington, VT and ended up traveling the world to snowboard. They along with Brush and TR were the guys that the young east coasters (like Jamil, Ross, Ian Spiro, etc.) all looked up to.

And I forgot to mention that Josh Malay was one of my favorite riders to watch. Potto shot one of my favorite pictures of him doing an up-flat-down (battleship) log at Beaver Creek. The picture was small and in (I think) TWS' resort guide or something some years ago. I would love to see it again, he was just doing a 50 on it, but it was so clean.

Damn, that kid was too young to leave us....

Focus more on your style than your trick bag.

I know I cannot pick a "top five" on anything. So, I will list some of the riders that have influenced me-whether riding with them or watching them in videos/pictures...

Guch-his part "Roadkill" was amazing. His butter trickery and spins over gaps were mind numbing. Iguchi still kills it, bringing his wizardry to big mountain freestyle-a pioneer in this, as well. And the guy has a sick-ass Method.

Chris Roach-when he and Terje road pow in Argentina to the Cadillac Tramps and he double poked that frontside air over a powdery rock-style. Roach has that super relaxed "Gonz-like" style of "I am just going to roll up to this and launch it and make it look effortless."

Adam Merriman-bringing hope to all those tall, lanky riders with "Shaq foot disease". Merriman shattered the ideology that you could only ride well if you were 5'1 by developing a line of boards (his signature line, that is) for K2 called Fat Bob. The fat Bob line became one of K2's best selling boards opening up snowboarding to thousands and thousands of people. Merriman, also helped to put Colorado on the map for snowboarding (along with J2, Stevie 'Atlas' Alters, TRichards and a very selected few others). Merriman was a forefront in logging and bringing a Colorado staple-the rainbow-to the forefront of all jibbers' minds.

Stevie Alters-Mr. Alters brought the smooth and relaxed style to park riding (as can be seen by Blaze Rosenthal in Whitey's video, "Substance"). Alters defined control in all facets of his riding, earning him the nickname, 'Atlas'-his rotations were perfectly leveled, as he could glide over any Vail table to the Whaler.

J2-say what you want, "he's got no style...he sucks...” The bottom line is J2 was the first person that was credited in the media with a sequence on how to do a butter over a cat track, he was one of the first to push the Colorado Log/Jib movement, he had a smoove b. frontside three nose grab in "Substance" that should be studied, analyzed and replicated by all you 1080 kids. For all of you that say "j2 sucks", ask yourselves this-has your talent on a board got you into magazines, movies and helped make a living for you? Didn't think so. J2's outlook on terrain and obstacles has helped get snowboarding to where it's at.

Russell Winfield-cause he's black. Winfield was one of the first pros, if not the first, riders of African American decent. I loved seeing all the waspy-ass people stare at him in line at Vail, as he yelled into the air, "Yeah, I'm still fucking black!". Russell was also a pretty good rider and had a killer graphic on his Ride pro model.

Tarquin Robbins-Man, where do I start? I first saw this guy ride in either the video "Anthem" or "Big Jean Fantasy". Tarquin was nothing like any of us had ever seen-he was one of the first to break away from the "Tindy Generation" and bring street skaing into snowboarding via style. Tarquin, in my mind, gets credit for the late 180, the shifty, rope and slow sign ollies, one of the most progressive butter-ing and jibsta' riders of all time while repping the 'gangsta image and mindset (most of you pussies just dress the part-he was the part living in a trailer outside of boulder while becoming notorious for riding with a gat at Copper).

Todd Richards-Ok, so this guy is an all-around ripper. When he dropped into the pipe at Breck or Vail...everyone would scatter like roaches in embarrassment. He was and remains insanely talented in a robotic-like state, in that you see him leave the lip and you think to yourself, 'yeah, right...he can never land that.' as he contorts his body and touches down with ease and style. Todd showed other riders that he wasn't just a pipe donkey early on with a killer part in the video...eh, hmm "20/20" (i think)...no that wasn't it. Anyways, he had a killer part in (maybe "Project 6'...no, that wasn't it either-oh well.) where he and Tucker Fransen man'd up to some big, early season gaps at Wolf Creek. From that point on, it was all stratosphere for this guy.

Jeff Brushie-This guy made backside tail grabs in the pipe look sick, introduced frontside airs with the 'cowboy poke' style (at least I think he did), did a method during a race (captured in a now famous picture with a gate behind him) which said to the world "we are different than you gear heads", had smooth and relaxed style that was captured in "Roadkill" and is now knocked-off around the world by riders whether they know it or not. Brushie also had the first big contract from Ride, rumored to be around 1.2million, not to mention that he had some of the best artwork on his boards helping to distance the "Tindy Generation" further from Wild Duck-like graphics that plagued the masses).

Jamie Lynn-AKA "The King of the Method", "wrap-around style", "the best front three in the biz", etc. Jamie Lynn is by in large part what snowboarding has become to so much of us-choose your own adventure on this. Lynn has been a focal point of style from some of his first video bits from the Blackcomb summer pipe where he lip slided a bar with ease to his now classic method. Jamie Lynn has displayed his prowess off the snow by introducing us to his uniquely beautiful artwork, musical tastes and 'fuck you attitude' of walking away from probably making millions (although, I would hope Mervin takes Really good care of him as their Art Director alone) all the while being the founding editot of Frequency Snwoboard Journal. J.L. was one of the first to step it up in the buttering department (along with Jeff Petit) when he aired onto wooden boxes (no Mylar kids) from kickers and to every variation possible or so it seemed at the time. And speaking Methods, their is only one other person the world that the rest of us tried to do methods, like besides Jamie Lynn and that was Chris Roach's Grasser.

Chris Roach-Roach seemed to be so far ahead of his game, in that he really helped to bring 'skate-style' (damn, that sounds lame) to snowboarding. Roach has been in so many videos, I don't even know where to start...and there is a reason for this-he freaking rocked the casa with progressive moves. His part in the video 'R.P.M' is the shit-end of story. Oh, but wait...not only could this Grass Valley shred ride parks like no other, he could also ride the entire mountain. What many of us don't realize, I believe, is how influential Roach was in getting riders to try park tricks in more natural terrain zones. This guy killed it.

Terry Kidwell-"The Father of Freestyle".... dude, what can I say that has not been said before about "The Man". I first saw him launch a rock at Soda Springs in an issue of 'BMX Plus!' so long ago that I cannot even remember. I will say this that his red Sims had more nose on it than Michael Jackson's original sniff-ter and he was so high off the ground...damn! It’s still a good drop to this day. Then there was the "perfect method" he floated in 1985 that captured by Bud Fawcett. I am going to sound cheesy here, but IF THERE IS ONE RIDER THAT DESERVES TO HAVE A PARK NAMED AFTER HIM, IT"S "THE FATHER OF FREESTYLE, TERRY KIDWELL. TAKE NOTE TAHOE!

Scott 'Upside' Downy-Took me under his wing at Mt. Hood and showed me how to do an Andrecht "without looking like Jimmy Scott." Downy could get inverted on literally anything (he showed me how to do hand plants on a tiny snow bank), earning him his moniker with legitimacy. Scott was so damn good that not only did Sims take care of him, but also Sorel gave him a signature boot-the first pro signature boot ever.

Willie McMillion-Shotgun partners with Jeremy Jones back in the Type A dayzzz. Ultimate all-terrain killer. Underground heavy hitter, founder of the fastest wax company on the planet-Bluebird, film'r, musician, all-around cool and interesting person who takes care of his people. Gap of death jumper and a 'making shit happen' work ethic-realness.

Jeremy Jones- Showed up to knock a home run in the beginning of his career with his part in 'Simple Pleasures' and has never slowed down from here. J. Jones is an ultimate rail slayer and the kicker king of the Brighton backcountry. This guy can do it all, and does so bagging one of the best (if not the best) video sections of the season in MDP's 'Follow Me'.

Jimmy Scott & J.D. Platte-The best roller skater on the planet that happened to snowboard and have pro models. Just kidding, J.D. was cool, though.

Tammos Gannon-His parts in Whitey's videos stuck out to me. Gannon's super slow, corked-out frontside three's into powder should be a staple for all. He was a super n.w. shred that lay low (like all those Jackson power shreds) and ducked out, sadly, of it all. I wonder what he is up to and if he still rides...

Craig Kelly-A Legend. This is all that needs to be said.

Terje-"Super child", "Terry Heineken", "Turd"-call him whatever. He is one of the most influential riders to ever step foot on a snowboard. More covers, more pictures, more video parts, films and gold bars in the bank for a reason. "Subjekt: Haakonsen" is a top three movie of all time-his corked out spins are still revolutionary, his halfpipe skills have set the bar for what has now become a standard in amplitude (although it took the rest a long time to get to that level. Pun intended.), his cat-like skills have made him famous, rich and respected worldwide...and I still don't think he gives a shit.

MFM-First time I saw him, he was riding for World Industries and Titan (Twist's, at the time, newly released, dope price point line that would allow you to loose insane amounts of weight due lack of breathing materials), Montoya had a sequence in Blunt launching a backside 180 Mellon over a Vail kicker. Ever since that first sequence I had seen of him, there hasn't been one month that his mug has not been in just about every snowboard magazine in the world. MFM took off where Tarquin Robbins left off, bringing his style of riding to Alaska in Justin Hostynek's video, amply entitled, 'Absinthe' where he demonstrated how to rob a snickers bar by encasing it in a soda...he smooth ass style has launched him into one of the most successful snowboard riders of all time. He know rolls so large, he should be called "Monaco".

Matt Donahue-Two-tall style, beautiful hand plants, methods and rail skills...all out of this little from a place called Government Camp. Matt's artistic style transcended into one of the coolest companies that was miles ahead with its unique shapes and artwork, The Movement. I hear Matt now works at a school helping kids that have had it rough via snowboarding in Northern Idaho.

Dale Rehberg-One of the heavy hitters of switch riding and bringing rails into snowboarding...and when I say rails, I don't mean shortly eight steps either. Dale and his side kick, Roan Rodgers, stepped up to some knarly-ass, cheese grater rails back in the day that still scare some of the best heavy metal riders of today. Rehberg was amazing in his abilities to take of and land switch while spinning with flatness. Credit him or blame him for the no hi-back style of the early 90's...whatever, he was influential for a reason.

Roan Rodgers-Another Type A Snowboards killer. His backside 540's over natural hips were huge by today’s standards. His style was controlled and slow, allowing you to rewind and study how he did his tricks without using the slo-mo button (aka "Standard Button"-sorry Standard Films uses slo-mo till makes my eyes bleed). Be sure to catch one of the knarliest rails caught on film from Tignes...yep, Rodgers full-pulled it with a crate drop-in and two feet of flat before the rail (guessing it was twenty step or more).

Damn, I'm sorry this is so long...it looks like one of those stupid-ass press releases.

Focus more on your style, not your bag of tricks.

Im sure that I might piss a lot of people of with my claims to the top 5 spots. In my opinion there are all sorts of greats. Snowboarding has evolved so much its hard to incorporate everyone. There is history and fore fathers and then there is the cutting edge/progression that must be mentioned as well. So here it goes.

1. Jake Burton (we owe alot to you big guy)

2. Craig Kelly (first person to ever make me wana get radical)

3. Terje "aka TheCat" Haakonsen (do I really even need to say anything else?)

4. Shaun Palmer (the guy beat the shit outta Mike Muir from Suicidal for christ sake)

5. Devun Walsh (mr monster roadgap himself)

6. Peter Line 7. Shaun White 8. Travis Rice 9. DCP 10. Mike May (DGO represent)

Told yah youd be pissed. God bless America!

I'll make yah famous...

I'm dissapointed nobody mentioned Ranquet yet...

KJ is still my favorite all around rider of all time.

Thayne Mahler.

In no particular order...

John Cardiel - picked up where Kidwell left off
Jamie Lynn - who DIDN'T strive for his style?
The entire cast of The Hard, The Hungry and The Homeless - Most forward thinking shred flick of its time
Terry Kidwell - needs no introduction
Chris Roach - got me to drop in to my first halfpipe the day after the US open when it was still cut with a backhoe. thanks Chris.

1. kevin jones
2. peter line
3. wittlake
4. ali goulet
5. mfm

My top 5-

1. Terje Haakonflip
2. Jamie Lynn
3. Craig Kelly
4. Peter Line
5. Todd Richards

And a bunch of others-
Wittlake, Salasnek, Johan, Rehbergs, Cummins, Roan Rogers, Kevin Jones, Joni Mak, Ingemar, Noah Brandon, Brush, Nate Cole, Guch, JLA, Bjorn, Farm, Roach, Palm, Trice, RDM, MFM, Walsh, Downey, Jason Brown, Michi Albin, Kidwell.

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Live Fast. Die.

1. Jamie Lynn-from old videos in the eraly 90's and the original superpark shoot to Escramble, still killin it with more style than I could ever dream of having.
2. Craig Kelly-Thank you for everything you gave the sport, you are missed by many
3. Jeff Anderson- So much love and talent, taken way to soon, for such a dumb reason.
4. Johan-US open pipe comps to Odins ladder in just a few seasons (Can the tomato compare?)
5. Victoria- IWish I could ride like a girl when I see her footage.

Mentions: D Walsh, N Cole, Guch, Trice, Trichards, Terje, both J Jones's. So many people have inspired me, my style, my life choices. Thank you to anyone thats ever strapped on a board and had fun with their friends in the mountains, you are all an inspiration to me.

I thought 2 of my favs from growing up in Washington should be on the list.
Dave Lee and Todd Schlosser.
I loved watching those guys...they had so much fun together.

It's a great question to think about who influenced me and my riding choices.